closeup of Bassariscus astutus

Ringtail bodies are cat-like in their adult length of 12-17 inches (30-40 centimeters) and their Siamese-style buff to dark brown coloring. Their faces are fox-like in their snouts. Their tails are raccoon-like, with 12-17 inches (30-42 centimeters) of 14-16 black-and-white rings. Their big, round eyes of darkest black, brown or purple look out from black-edged, white masks, the reverse of a raccoon. Their eyeshine upon emerging at dusk or nightfall shows up raccoon-like yellow or un-raccoon-like red.

Ringtails therefore alternate between sporting cat-, fox- and raccoon-like looks. But they also claim some features all their own. For example, they may be capable of:

Climbing narrow passages by pressing both left feet on one wall and both right on the other;

Reaching high places because of tree squirrel-like hind ankle joints which rotate 180°+;

Reversing directions by cartwheeling;

Ricocheting from side to side off huge passages and wide fissures.

Despite the above-mentioned hallmark achievements, ringtails usually occupy the same family of mammals as raccoons. They therefore share the same descent from the earliest procyonids of 16,000,000-18,000,000 years ago.

Some scientists nevertheless categorize ringtails into their own family. They do so on the basis of the ambulatory preferences of ringtails. Raccoons walk on the soles of their feet whereas ringtails never do so.

Cultivators, gardeners and orchardists sometimes dread ringtail appearances during growing and harvesting seasons. The normally timid, well-behaved mammal may get a bit out of hand in orchards full of luscious fruit. Ringtails may suffer the consequences of such uncontrolled binge-eating by being mislabeled civet cats -- whose predilection for musky scent-spraying, random feces-dropping, and rooftop noise-making are unpopular with humankind -- to which they are related only distantly through mutual membership in the carnivorous order of mammals.

North American buntings, such as the painted bunting, are preyed upon by ring-tailed cats.

Viewing a ringtail pouncing upon prey is quite an experience. Once again, the normally courteous, reticent mammal kills by grasping their hibernal food source in an inescapable clasp and sinking sharp teeth into their prey's neck.

They call the above-mentioned places home at altitudes of 4,593-9,514 feet (1,400-2,900 meters). At such higher elevations, they locate their homes within foraging, mating and sheltering ranges of 44-515 hectares (109-1,280 acres).

Bobcats prey upon ring-tailed cats.

Bobcat kitten with rabbit prey

Ringtails experience year-round stress from predators. They must be ever vigilant against the hunger pangs of:

Bobcats;

Coyotes;

Foxes;

Hawks;

Owls.

When chased or cornered, they will resort to:

Barking;

Chattering;

Chirping;

Clicking;

Growling;

Grunting;

Hissing;

Howling.

They yip in particular terror when cornered by hungry raccoons intent upon their favorite relatives for dinner.

Female ringtails breed once a year, in February or March. It there is during those two months when the female offers humankind chances for observing appearance and behavior. The female will be noticeably more graceful and petite than the male.

The father finds the mother-to-be food until she delivers. Gestation may take from 45 to 60 days. Delivery of live litters therefore tend to take place in May of June. Late winter through late spring or early summer therefore will be optimum times for viewing adult male ringtails.

A litter has a minimum of one new-born and a maximum of five. Cubs have birth weights of 0.88-1.06 ounces (25-30 grams). They mature to weights of 1.8-3.3 pounds (0.8-1.5 kilograms).

Ringtail cubs are dependent upon their mothers the first four months of life. They are especially vulnerable the first month of life since they are born blind and fur-less. They are weaned at the age of six months.

Cubs can leave the parental den and mate once they are weaned. They in fact reach sexual maturity at the age of 10 months. Mid-summer through mid-spring therefore will be convenient opportunities for witnessing cub learning experiences.

Ringtails are known to live 6-9 years in the wild. They can live 10 years longer in zoos or with families. In facilities or houses, they favor access to dark, dry, warm hideaways in addition to whatever is deemed by owners or staff as "ringtail space."

"ringtail space": Phantom Ranch, Grand Canyon National Park, Arizona

As pets, ringtails can be counted upon to emerge and evidence such enjoyable, helpful or informative behaviors as:

Controlling nuisance wildlife;

Grooming themselves;

Marking territory;

Playing with home-made or store-bought toys as well as with people.

The above-mentioned conduct in fact constitutes something which ringtails perfect over the course of 150+ years of interacting with humankind. Records of ringtails' charming alternation between friendliness and reticence go back to the memoirs of prospectors and settlers of:

Central and northern Mexico;

Southwestern United States of America.

Within the USA, ringtails specifically may be found in:

Arizona;

California;

Colorado;

Kansas;

Nevada;

New Mexico;

Oklahoma;

Oregon;

Texas;

Utah.

In Mexico, ringtails may be called either cacomixtle norteño or rintel. In the United States, they respond to the names:

Marv cat;

Miner's cat;

Northern Cacomixtle;

Ring-tailed cat;

Ringtail cat.

The oldest ringtail fossils date back to the Miocene Age of about 5,300,000 to 23,000,000 years ago. They link to habitats in California, Nebraska and Nevada. Ringtails nevertheless remain -- since August 13, 1986 -- the official mammal of the Copper and Grand Canyon State and the reluctant icon of arid North America.

Comments

cmoneyspinner, Me, too: "I really wish they would leave the painted buntings alone." :-)Bible fauna and flora is an area which I have researched. It's especially fascinating, with many creatures and trees, etc., mentioned. Go for it!

I'm OK with all the other stuff the ring tails eat. But I really wish they would leave the painted buntings alone. This article caused me to look up the state mammal for Texas. I thought it was the armadillo. Turns out we have several official mammals - armadillo, long horns, bats, etc. UM ... not enough for me to write about though. :) (Just kidding.)( http://www.netstate.com/states/tables... )

I'm not really into animals. It would take a lot of research to write about some. Although I toyed with the idea of Bible creatures - leviathan, behemoth, stuff like that. I'll think on it some more. Good article!!